1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a register for ventilating air. More particularly, it relates to a process for manufacturing a register in which a plurality of deflector plates are swingably held in a frame-shaped barrel.
2 Description of the Related Art
In a conventional heating/cooling system in an automobile, air is led from a furnace or air-conditioning unit through ducts to outlet openings in the interior of the vehicle. The outlet openings are usually covered by grills or registers.
Conventional registers are typically made from a two-color molding process. This two-color molding process was developed in consideration of the physical properties of the register or based on the design requirement that a plurality of resins are needed to manufacturer the register. In this two-color molding process, a first molded member is molded by first injecting a first resin into a first cavity. Then, a second molded member is molded by injecting a second resin into a second cavity neighboring the first cavity. Thus, an integrally molded two-color article is formed which comprises the first molded member and the second molded member.
The conventional register, illustrated in FIG. 10, can be used, for example, in an air-conditioning unit installed in an automobile. As shown in FIG. 10. the register is provided with a frame-shaped barrel 100, a plurality of shafts 102, a plurality of rearward vertical deflector plates 103 a plurality of forward vertical deflector plates 104, a connector rod 105 and a knob 106. The barrel 100 has a plurality of horizontal deflector plates 101, which form outlet openings and which are parallel with each other. The shafts 102 are disposed in the rear of the horizontal deflector plates 101, which are held rotatably by the barrel 100, and the shafts 102 are disposed parallel with each other. Each of the rear vertical deflector plates 103 projects rearward from each of the shafts 102. Each of the forward vertical deflector plates 104 projects forward from the shafts 102 and is positioned between the horizontal deflector plates 101. The rod 105 holds the rearward vertical deflector plates 103 swingably and connects the rearward vertical deflector plates 103 to the shafts 102. The knob 106 is held by the central forward vertical deflector plate 104.
In this conventional register, each of the shafts 102 is held swingably by the barrel 100, and the rearward vertical deflector plates 103 and the forward vertical deflector plates 104 can swing synchronously with each other by being hingedly connected to the connector rod 105. Accordingly, by pinching the knob 106 so as to swing in the left and right directions, the wind direction of the ventilating air can be deflected in the left and right directions. Moreover, when the barrel 100 is mounted into an outlet of an air-conditioning apparatus in an instrument panel, the wind direction of the ventilating, air can be deflected in the up and down directions based upon the angle of the horizontal deflector plates 101. The passengers of the vehicle can adjust the amount of air circulated through the register by pivoting the barrel 100, which in turn adjusts the deflection angle of the horizontal deflector plates 101.
When manufacturing such a register, the shafts 102, the rearward vertical deflector plates 103 and the forward vertical deflector plates 104 are initially molded from a first resin, having a high melting point, as illustrated in FIG. 11. Then, a portion of a slide core is changed within the original molding cavity. While the shafts 102, the rearward vertical deflector plates 103 and the forward vertical deflector plates 104 remain in the original molding cavity, the barrel 100 and the connector rod 105 are formed in a second molding cavity and are molded from a second resin which exhibits a lower melting point than the first resin. The characteristics of the second resin do not permit it to fuse with the first resin. Thus, the second resin is free from welding to the first resin. Finally, the knob 106 is installed to complete the register.
In the conventional air-conditioning register, depicted in FIG. 10, there can be some design situations where the bottom of the barrel 100 is thickened during the molding process. However, when such a thickened portion exists in the injection molding of a frame-shaped member like the barrel 100, a drawback arises in that a concave sink mark may occur at the thickened portion and in that the thickened portion may deform due to warpage. When such a drawback arises, there is a chance that the appearance of the register may be impaired, and additionally, the thickened portion may interfere with the movement of the forward vertical deflector plates 104 to deteriorate their operation.
When the manufacturer integrally molds the knob 106 to the shafts 102, the resulting molded member, which includes the knob 106 and the shifts, may experience difficulties due to deficiencies of the barrel 100. There may arise a problem in that the mold for forming the barrel 100 is so thinned out due to the uneven distribution of the resin that the strength of the mold weakens. Accordingly, it is necessary to make the knob 106 as an independent component part. Hence, there may arise another problem in that as the number of the component parts increases, so do the number of man-hours required to assemble the device.
Further, in view the strength of the mold when molding the barrel 100, there may arise an additional problem in that the configuration of the forward vertical deflector plates 104 may be limited so that the directivity of the blowing air decreases.
Furthermore, in view of the insertability of the shafts 102 in the molding of the barrel 100, it is necessary to provide clearances at the holding portions, which may create an unstable and rickety device.
The present invention has been developed in view of the aforementioned shortcomings. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a register in which inhibits the formation of a sink mark at the thickened portion, which allows arbitrary designing, which heightens the degree of freedom in molding, and which allows a manufacturer to integrally mold the knob.
A process for manufacturing a register according to the present invention can be carried out by employing a first mold half having a first cavity and a second cavity, a second mold half having a third cavity and a third mold half having a fourth cavity and a fifth cavity. The first cavity and the third cavity constitute a first die, the first cavity and the fourth cavity constitute a second die, and the second cavity and the fifth cavity constitute a third die. The process includes molding a deflector member made from a first resin in the first die after clamping the first mold half and the second mold half, the deflector member having a plurality of shafts and a plurality of first deflector plates extending from each of the shafts substantially parallel with each other, molding a connector member made from a second resin that does not fuse with the first resin in the second die after clamping the first mold half and the third mold half and maintaining the deflector member in the first cavity, the connector member holding the shafts rotatably and connecting the first deflector plates swingably; molding a frame-shaped member made from a third resin in the third die, the frame-shaped member having a plurality of second deflector plates forming outlet openings, being substantially parallel with each other and crossing with the first deflector plates substantially perpendicularly; and assembling the deflector member having the connector member with the frame-shaped member.
By the manufacturing process according to the present invention, it is possible to manufacture a register at a reduced cost, a register which is aesthetically pleasing, and a register having improved operability qualities and enhanced directivity abilities that control the directions of the ventilating air.